A variety of medical conditions have been identified where implantation of a medical device is indicated. Such medical devices can include pacemakers, infusion pumps, vascular access ports, nerve stimulators, spinal stimulators, etc. Each of these medical devices generally include some form of housing which at least partially contains portions of the medical device apparatus to isolate this medical device apparatus from bodily fluids or bodily structures outside of the housing. Furthermore, typically some form of interface extends out of the housing to interact with surrounding bodily systems. For instance, in the case of a pacemaker electrodes extend from the housing as electrical leads which are coupled to nerves of the heart which, when receiving electrical stimulus from the pacemaker, cause the heart to beat. Infusion pumps include an outlet tube passing into a location where the preparation being infusion is to be delivered. For instance, if the infusion pump is infusing a pain medication, it would typically be implanted into a vascular structure, such as into a vein of the patient.
With such prior art medical devices, such implantation has required that the medical device be configured and positioned in a way that keeps the medical device stationary within the body. Such configuration has generally involved shaping the devices to be generally flat and either circular or square/rectangular in form (viewed from above). “Twiddlers Syndrome” refers to a situation where a subcutaneous medical device has been manipulated by the patient (or sometimes spontaneously) and flipped over upon itself one or more times, so that the device function is adversely affected. This can lead to fracture of output devices and potential failure of the medical device.
The shape of these medical devices requires that a relatively large incision be made to pass the medical device through the skin during surgical implantation of the medical device. As the size of the incision increases, the difficulty associated with hiding the incision from visual detection by others is increased. Generally, patients appreciate having small incisions when medical devices are to be implanted. With known prior art technology of the shape described above, such incisions have not been minimized. To some extent electronics and other components within a housing of the medical device can be miniaturized to minimize a size of the medical device and hence the required incision. However, such miniaturization has limits and other complications are associated with such miniaturization including enhanced cost and potentially reduced battery life, reduced storage capacity for medical preparations to be delivered and other potentially adverse effects. Accordingly, a need exists for a way to configure a medical device so that it can maintain fully beneficial operation while facilitating implantation through a reduced size incision. A solution to this problem would beneficially also be at least as resistant to “Twiddlers Syndrome” as prior art medical devices.